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Blackpowder Firearms
As times change in Aevonhold, so does technology. Blackpowder firearms are a rare and new technology, very much ignored due to the progress of magic and armors forged with it. While volatile and less reliable than counterparts, such as the crossbow, they are nonetheless powerful and can have situational advantages. History Developed in the early 1170s by The Great Provinces of Nobugo, blackpowder firearms first saw use in the battlefields against Ulyssa as supplements to their long-range archery and cavalry armies. In these scenarios the Nobugohito tested their effectiveness. Blackpowder arms consisted of unwieldy hand cannons, used at close range to break the charge of an advancing army. These hand cannons, besides being difficult to wield, were volatile, resulting in frequent explosions. These prototypes have evolved to better suit the needs of the Nobugohito ranks, becoming easier to wield as personal firearms and being less unwieldy. As the reliability of these weapons in combat increased, the weapons proliferated further among their armies. As knowledge of these weapons has spread, they have seen limited, rare usage in other armies of Auros, including Eterlein and Peramul. These imitations tend to be less effective than the Nobugohito blackpowder firearms, but persist due to their effectiveness on the field of combat. Only in the mid-1180s has this technology reached the Western Kingdoms. While not incorporated into their military forces, privateers and merchants who have frequent contact with the continent of Auros tend to wield them for protection. Types The prototypes developed by Nobugo have evolved into three types of blackpowder weapons, each with their advantages and disadvantages. Musket The musket is a muzzle-loaded firearm typically braced against the shoulder before being fired. It has a long barrel which allows it to fire from longer ranges than either a blunderbuss or flintlock pistol. Blunderbuss The blunderbuss is a muzzle-loading firearm with a short, large caliber barrel used with shot and other projectiles. It is effective at short distances, but a poor weapon for medium range and long distances. Flintlock Pistol The flintlock pistol is a smoothbore, handheld firearm meant for short ranges. Ammunition Due to the volatile nature of blackpowder firearms, ammunition can only be created from stronger metals. There have been attempts by some developers and workshops to create ammunition from metals like silvers and golds, but ammunition constructed from weaker metals like these prove to be useless. Upon firing, the metals flatten from the blast, consequently leading to poor accuracy and aerodynamics. However, experiments continue into "gold-lined" and "silver-lined" ammunition. The use of "improvised" materials in creating blackpowder ammunition is also volatile. Without a specific craft of ammunition to fit the type of firearm, one is more likely to damage the gun or injure themselves than get off a shot. Commonality These weapons are uncommon outside the Empire of Nobugo. However, these weapons have begun to emerge in the armies within Auros, namely Peramul and Elterlein. Rune'Daath and Ulyssa have been slower to react to this technology or incorporate it into its armies. The Nobugohito blackpowder firearms have the greatest quality, and those of other nations, harnessing this emerging technology, are less reliable. Outside of Auros, knowledge and ownership of firearms is rare. Foreign merchants and those with contact to Auros may own them for self-defense. Roleplay Implications Using a flintlock rifle or pistol has obvious drawbacks. They are wildly inaccurate and very dangerous to use, especially when firing quickly. The RP guidelines would be as such: Reloading takes takes three emotes in a fight, unless it is the pistol, which only takes two. If you take one less turn to reload, you have to roll. If you roll 5 or below, the weapon will explode, which results missing fingers, if not fast enough. The gun will break from the explosion. Pistols and blundbusses cannot penetrate armors of higher quality than leather. Muskets can pierce non-enchanted iron armor. Category:Technology